


Pandora's Box

by Ailendolin



Category: Jurassic Park - All Media Types, Jurassic Park Original Trilogy (Movies), Jurassic World Trilogy (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-11-05
Packaged: 2019-06-23 21:25:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15615351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailendolin/pseuds/Ailendolin
Summary: “Can you believe they’re doing it again?” Alan asks quietly.“History is doomed to repeat itself, it seems,” Billy says. It sounds hollow even to his own ears.“I suppose we’ll never learn,” Alan muses. “Once Pandora’s box is open …”Billy is still struggling to leave the events of Isla Sorna behind when he learns of Simon Masrani's plans to build another park. He doesn't take it well but luckily he's not alone in this.





	1. December 2001

**Author's Note:**

> Finally, my first foray into the Jurassic Park fandom! I can't believe it's taken me so long. Back when I was a child Jurassic Park literally changed and shaped my life because little me realized she actually could be a "dinosaur scientist" (as I called paleontologists back then) when she grew up. A little over two decades later that young girl got her PhD in paleontology (although, funnily enough, I never really worked on dinosaurs *lol*). 
> 
> Anyway, this is my attempt to write about how the news of another park would affect Billy after what happened to him on Isla Sorna. Personally, I like Alan/Billy as a pairing but I haven't specified their relationship status here, so it's up to your interpretation whether they're friends or something more. 
> 
> Also, don't be confused that the names of the dinosaurs and pterosaurs etc. are in italics. It's just the proper scientific way to write species names. ;-)
> 
> And last but not least: I'm not a native English speaker, so please excuse any errors you may (and probably will) find. Point them out to me and I'll do my best to get rid of them.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Jurassic Park, Jurassic World or any of the characters associated with these franchises and I don't make any money with this.

**Pandora's Box**

**Chapter 1: December 2001**

The nightmare returns with a phone call on a cold December morning.

Billy is in his office, just next door to Alan’s, going through various papers on his desk in an effort to find that one quote about the error of three-dimensional bone reconstruction he needs for his newest publication when his phone rings. It’s early, barely past eight, and he’s been at it for over an hour already. He’s always been an early riser and he likes to get some work done before the students fill the halls and more often than not demand his attention on their various bachelor, master or PhD projects. Billy enjoys helping them, he really does, but some days they practically stand in line to talk to him and on those days he barely gets any of his own work and research done.

Billy’d rather his work suffers than Alan’s, though. Alan has enough on his plate thanks to their little trip to Isla Sorna – for which Billy still feels partly responsible because he was the one who urged Alan to meet with the Kirbys in the first place. Reporters have been hounding him, the both of them, really, ever since they returned and Alan has made it his job to keep them as far away from Billy as possible throughout his recovery and beyond. Keeping the students out of Alan’s hair is the least Billy can do to repay him.

The phone rings again and with a sigh Billy abandons his papers and reaches for it. “Dr. Brennan,” he says. It still feels weird to call himself “doctor”. It’s only been a few weeks since he got his degree and he hasn’t gotten used to it yet. Sometimes he thinks he never will.

“Simon Masrani,” a kind-sounding voice answers. “Good morning, Dr. Brennan. I hope I’m not disturbing you?”

Dismally, Billy looks down at the paper chaos on his desk. “Not at all, Mr. Masrani,” he replies pleasantly. The name sounds familiar though he can’t place it. “How can I help you?”

“I would like to talk to you about your experiences with the dinosaurs on Isla Sorna.”

Billy groans inwardly. Another reporter, what else? Apart from Alan and their students there are few people in the world who have reason to call him. Sometimes Ellie Sattler checks in on him, tired of only hearing from Billy through Alan. Then there’s Ian Malcolm who mainly calls to complain about Alan once more putting off proof-reading his newest article or book. What few but good friends Billy had before Isla Sorna have mostly disappeared from his life after his return from the island. Some were unable to handle how the island changed him – others wanted to exploit his story. Billy kindly told the latter to fuck off and still regrets losing the former.

Now it’s mostly reporters who call him out of the blue, triggering painful memories with their unpleasant questions. Billy’s back and shoulders begin to throb like they always do when he is reminded of the scars that have yet to start to fade.

“Look, Mr. Masrani,” Billy begins, “I have given my statement to the authorities regarding the incident on Isla Sorna and that is all I have to say on the subject. I am not and never will be interested in doing an interview so please do not call me again.”

He’s about to hang up when Masrani says, “We are building another park.”

That stops Billy in his tracks. Sweat breaks out on his forehead and he feels his heart begin to race. “Excuse me?”

“We are building another park,” Masrani repeats and he sounds pleased with himself. Billy feels like throwing up. “I am the CEO of Masrani Global. Maybe you have heard of us.”

Billy has, finally able to place the name Masrani. “You bought those rights from InGen,” he whispers.

“Yes, we did,” Masrani confirms happily. “For the last few years we have developed a plan for a new park on Isla Nublar. Hammond’s idea to use the island as a natural barrier was perfect.”

Billy almost laughs. Unwillingly, his mind goes back to the _Pteranodon_ flying away from Isla Sorna. The island couldn’t keep them contained and, as Ian is so fond of saying, life always finds a way. An island is just another kind of cage, and all cages can be broken.

“I am happy to say that construction work is coming along nicely,” Masrani goes on, unaware of the panic coursing through Billy at the thought of another park, another tragedy waiting to happen. “The first dinosaurs have already been introduced to their new enclosures.” He makes a pregnant pause. “This is where you come in.”

“Me?” Billy asks faintly.

“Your experience with the dinosaurs on Isla Sorna gives you a unique expertise, Dr. Brennan. You have seen them in the wild, you know how they behave when they’re not behind bars. We want that natural behavior here in Jurassic World and you are one of only a handful of people who can help us achieve that.”

Billy shakes his head. “You can’t be serious.”

Masrani laughs. “Oh, but I am. You see, we want the enclosures to be as natural as possible so that the dinosaurs won’t even know they’re in a cage. We need someone like you to take a look at things and tell us what to change.”

“So you’re calling to offer me a job? Is that it?” Billy asks, incredulous.

“Not just any job, Dr. Brennan,” Masrani says. “You will be in charge of the dinosaurs’ well-being and their safety, as well as that of the visitors once the park opens.”

Billy closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose against the sheer arrogance and ignorance. The way Masrani talks about safety as if it’s something he can actually achieve would make him laugh if it wasn’t so terrifying. Billy and every other island veteran know safety is just an illusion when it comes to playing god, nothing more and nothing less. It had been with the first park and sooner or later the second one will crash and burn as well. It’s only a matter of time – and teeth.

“What kind of dinosaurs are we talking about?” he asks because he has to know. Dread pools in his stomach as he imagines more _Velociraptor_ , another _Spinosaurus_ or, even worse, a bigger bird cage.

“Oh, the usual ones,” Masrani says and Billy wants to cry because Masrani makes it sound as if creating dinosaurs is nothing remarkable anymore. “We’ve rounded up as many of the old park’s creatures before we began construction, so we have those. There’s also a few new additions to the species list I’m quite proud of. We’re planning to build an aquarium for a _Mosasaurus_ -“ oh god, Billy thinks, “-and an aviary.”

No.

Billy blinks once, hard, against the dizziness threatening to overwhelm him. He feels claws and beaks digging into his shoulders and water filling his lungs as he desperately tries to breathe. His ears are pierced by shrieks and he can taste blood on his tongue. He almost lets go of the phone because his hands are shaking so bad – but he can’t. He must hold onto it, onto the _hat_ , because it’s Alan’s and he has to get it back to him. Alan loves that hat and it’s important and maybe the only way to make amends again because he screwed up, he screwed up so badly and possibly ruined the best thing that happened to him in a long time and –

“Billy?”

Billy’s head snaps up. Alan is standing in the doorway, a frown on his face, and just like that Billy’s back in the present and he can breathe again. The phone weighs heavily in his hand. “Alan,” he rasps out, and that’s all it takes for Alan to close the door behind him and cross the room in a few quick steps. He takes one look at the caller ID on Billy’s phone before he takes it from him.

“I’ve already told you we’re not interested,” he growls into the speaker. “If you contact him, or me, again I will call the police.”

Before Masrani can protest Alan slams the phone down hard on the receiver. For a moment the room is quiet except for Billy’s hitched breathing. Alan turns to him. Billy can only imagine what he must see: a pale face with bright red spots of agitation high on his cheeks, wide panicked eyes, sweaty brown curls – but Alan doesn’t care about any of that. His eyes soften and he places a cool hand on Billy’s temple. “I am sorry about that.”

He doesn’t ask if Billy’s alright – they both know he isn’t. Billy may have learned not to flinch when someone mentions Isla Sorna, pterosaurs or Jurassic Park, but he’s far from fine. His students have learned not to touch him without warning but other people don’t know about his wounds. Once, he almost had a panic attack in the supermarket because someone accidentally bumped into his back. It was only because Alan was with him and managed to talk him down that he didn’t cause a scene.

Work is different than it was before Isla Sorna, as well. Out in the field, Billy doesn’t feel the same peace and happiness he did before. The open skies make him nervous, especially in the morning when the dig site is bathed in mist. He can’t stand people looming over him when he’s on the ground working on a fossil, and going swimming with the rest of the dig crew in the nearby river is nothing but a memory of the past now.

Some days are so bad he wonders if he’ll ever get better.

Billy knows he shouldn’t think like that – he used to be so optimistic about everything in life, no matter what it threw at him. But Isla Sorna broke something in him and Billy has no idea how to glue the pieces back together again. He tries, though – every day he tries so hard to get back to how he used to be – and he fights for every good moment in-between the dark ones. But it’s hard and on the bad days it seems almost impossible. News about another park certainly doesn’t help.

 Sometimes, Billy really hates humanity.

“Billy?” Alan asks softly and Billy realizes he’s been quiet for too long.

He takes a shaky breath and tries to smile for Alan. “It’s not your fault.”

Alan looks impossibly sad as he gently cards his hand through Billy’s curls in an attempt to comfort him. It’s something he began doing while Billy was still in the hospital, unable to move much without hurting himself. Billy’s still waiting for the day Alan notices what he’s doing and stops. He hopes it’ll never come.

“I should have warned you about Masrani,” Alan says regretfully. “He called me yesterday evening after you’d already gone home. I told him not to bother you and he promised me he wouldn’t. I should have known he wouldn’t keep his words. Those people never do.” He sighs and Billy wants nothing more than to smooth away the frown on his face. “I wanted to tell you first thing today but I got caught up in a funding issue and, well, you know the rest.”

Billy nods. “It’s okay, Alan. Really. You came in just in time.”

For a moment Billy thinks Alan’s going to protest but then his shoulders slump and he wipes a tired hand across his eyes. He looks exhausted. “Can you believe they’re doing it again?” he asks quietly.

“History is doomed to repeat itself, it seems,” Billy says. It sounds hollow even to his own ears.

“I suppose we’ll never learn,” Alan muses. “Once Pandora’s box is open …” He leaves the sentence hanging.

Quietly, Billy asks, “Did he tell you about the aviary?”

Alan’s eyes widen in a mix of horror and empathy. “Oh, Billy …”

“Yeah,” Billy agrees. He wants to go home and curl up under the blankets in his bed until he can convince himself this day is just a dream and never happened. His shoulders hurt so much it’s hard to resist the urge to scratch.

The pain must show on his face because Alan’s eyes flicker down and he reaches out one steady hand to place it gently on Billy’s back. Billy shudders under the touch but he doesn’t pull away or panic. Alan is the only one he’s allowed to touch him in any way since the incident. He doesn’t know how Alan does it but where the thought of other people touching his scars makes him feel sick Alan’s hands are like a balm to his wounds.

“Come with me tomorrow,” Alan whispers into the quiet between them as his other hand fans out across Billy’s back to provide some much welcomed warmth that chases the ache away. “Ellie would love to have you over for Christmas.”

It’s not the first time Alan’s asked him but it’s the first time Billy seriously considers saying yes. Ellie’s been asking the both of them to come visit for months now and three weeks ago Alan finally relented. Billy hadn’t, claiming someone needed to hold down the fort while Alan is away. The truth of the matter, however, is that he’s scared of being the third wheel in Ellie’s presence. There’s history between her and Alan, history Billy will never be able to match, and the last thing he wants is being invited out of pity and ruining Alan’s first and much-needed and deserved vacation after Isla Sorna.

But now, with Alan looking at him with kind blue eyes like he really wants Billy to come along and the shock of Masrani’s phone call still making his heart race, Billy finds himself swallowing around the lump in his throat and asking, “You really wouldn’t mind?”

The look Alan gives him is one of fond exasperation. “No, Billy, and neither will Ellie. I promise you. Knowing her she already has a room ready for you on the off-chance you change your mind last-minute.” He pauses, searching for something in Billy’s eyes. “Have you?”

Billy still feels like he’s intruding on something special by agreeing to come along but the need for company, for familiar faces who understand what he’s going through, is too strong. He doesn’t want to be alone with just his thoughts over the next few days and spend Christmas on his own. Just this once he’s going to be selfish and take the easy way out.

He smiles at Alan. “When’s the flight?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Originally I planned to write four chapters for this story. Chapters 2-4 are meant to deal with the Incident at Jurassic World, Mt. Sibo becoming active again and the happenings of Jurassic World 2 respectively. While I've already start work on chapters 2 and 3 I feel like this story would work as a one-shot as well. 
> 
> So, I guess, what I'm asking is whether you would like to see more in this direction or if you'd prefer me leaving it at that.


	2. December 2015

**Chapter 2: December 2015**

Fourteen years later and history repeats itself. It hits the news just before Billy’s lunch break. He’s in the middle of giving a lecture about bone histology and the growth rates of dinosaurs when he notices his students growing restless. Agitated whispers begin to fill the room instead of attentive silence and one by one his students turn their attention away from him and to their phones instead, every now and then glancing up and shooting him nervous glances.

“Alright, guys, what’s going on?” Billy asks, finally running out of patience.  He puts down the laser pointer a little more forcefully than necessary. “You’re not usually this distracted.”

His students look at each other with unease before Angelica, a bright young woman with a keen interest in hadrosaurs, decides to speak up. “We’re sorry, Dr. Brennan. It’s just … have you seen the news?”

Billy is tempted to say that no, of course he hasn’t seen the news because he’s in the middle of a lecture right now, one to which she and her fellow students should pay attention if they want to pass their exams next week, but the apprehension in Angelica’s voice is enough to give him pause. Frowning, he walks over to her so he can get a look at her phone.

When Billy realizes what he’s watching his heart misses a beat before it starts hammering against his ribcage in barely restrained panic and it takes all his willpower not to flinch away from the shaky footage on the tiny screen. It’s been years, over a decade, but the sight of hundreds of pterosaurs swooping down on people, on _children_ , makes him want to run as far away as he can and hide like a kid under a blanket. He feels physically sick even though he knew this day would come, has tried to prepare himself for this moment for years – yet here he is, just a breath away from panicking, feeling absolutely helpless as he’s thrown back in time.

There’s no way he can continue to teach his class after this.

“Class is over for today,” he manages to get out before he stumbles back to the desk to gather his things with shaky hands.

“Dr. Brennan … are you okay?” Angelica asks tentatively.

Billy almost snorts. He’s as far from okay as he can possibly be right now and he knows it’s written all over his face as clear as day. There’s no use in lying. “No, Angelica, I’m not.”

With that he leaves the room with what little dignity he has left and hurries along the halls towards Alan’s office as fast as he can without actually running. The door is ajar so Billy doesn’t bother knocking and walks right in. Alan’s on the phone, face ashen, and the same news Billy just watched on Angelica’s phone are broadcasted in horrible HD on his computer screen. The sight makes him stop in his tracks and when Alan looks up at him it’s with a mix of concern and barely concealed horror.

“It’s Ian,” he whispers after a heartbeat with a nod at the phone he’s holding when Billy doesn’t move further into room. “Ian?” he repeats a little louder. “Billy’s here, I’m going to put you on speaker, alright?”

“Sure,” Ian says, and he sounds as shaken as Billy feels. “Hello, Billy-boy.”

“Hi,” Billy says faintly, the unwanted nickname barely registering. He forces himself to move again and walks around Alan’s desk to stand behind him. Unwillingly, his eyes are drawn to the footage on the screen. Seeing it on Angelica’s small phone had been terrible enough, but at least there hadn’t been any sound. Now there is, and amidst the screams of terrified people Billy distinctly hears the _Pteranodon_ shriek. He shudders and bites his lip. They sound just like he remembers and every instinct tells him to run, to duck, to hide – to just get away from them however he can. He feels water that’s not really there soaking into his clothes and shivers despite the warmth in Alan’s office.

There’s another awfully familiar shriek and Billy can’t take it anymore. Wrapping his arms protectively around himself he turns away and looks out of the window instead, almost expecting large leathery wings to block out the winter sun any minute now. Nothing happens, of course. The only animals in the sky are some pigeons looking for their next meal – not exactly scary but even their sight is enough to make him tense.

It hasn’t been this bad in years. _He_ hasn’t been this bad in years.

“Ian?” Billy dimly hears Alan say behind him. “Thanks for the heads-up but I think I’ve got to call you back, alright?”

Ian’s voice is painfully understanding and Billy can’t help feeling ashamed because he knows Alan is hanging up on his friend because of him. “Of course, Alan. Be safe, you two.”

“You as well. Give Sarah and Kelly my best,” Alan says and ends the call. A moment later the room falls blessedly silent, the screams and shrieks turned off with a click of Alan’s mouse. Billy is incredibly grateful for that, even if the echoes in his head are not so easily muted.

“They can’t fly that fast,” Alan says quietly, stepping up behind Billy and placing a grounding hand on his shoulder.

Billy nods. “I know,” he says because he does. He’s a scientist, and after Isla Sorna he made it his mission to know all there is to know about pterosaurs. It’s the reason why, no matter how much he loathes that Masrani built another park, he couldn’t help but keep track of everything going on at Jurassic World, if only to know what terror is going to await him and the rest of the world if ( _when_ ) things go wrong. He knows Isla Nublar is over 4,000 miles away, has looked it up on the internet more than once to reassure himself of the distance, and even though _Pteranodon_ are capable of crossing large distances by soaring, it’s more than unlikely they would find their way away from the ocean and over the Rocky Mountains into the badlands of Montana.

_Unlikely maybe_ , a small voice in the back of Billy’s mind whispers, _but not impossible_.

And that’s been the problem for the past fourteen years. No matter how often Billy told himself he was safe here and had nothing to worry about he couldn’t quite shake off the fear that one day sharp claws and terrifying beaks would descend upon him again. Alan’s aware of his paranoia, of course. What _Pteranodon_ are for Billy the _Velociraptor_ is for him. They both have their fair share of nightmares they wake up from drenched in sweat and barely able to breathe. Still, Billy knows out of the two of them he’s the only one who’s not just afraid of the past but of the future as well.

“Do you want to go home?” Alan’s quiet words pull Billy out of his thoughts.

They can’t really afford to leave work, not when they still have so much to do and organize before the winter break. It’s Friday and while both their teaching schedules are clear for the rest of the day there are papers that need proof-reading, students’ projects and tests they have to grade or prepare and conference abstract submission deadlines that are coming up and shouldn’t be ignored – but none of that matters right now, not when their past is so viciously crashing into their present once again. One look at Alan shows Billy he’s just as affected by the footage as Billy is even though he’s better at hiding it. They’ll both need time to come to terms with what happened, with this new reality where the mistakes of the past have been made once more, and they can’t do that here. They’re no good like this.

“Yes, let’s go home, please.”

Alan doesn’t waste any time. He shuts down his computer, packs his bag and is ready to leave in less than five minutes.

Pitiful glances follow them all the way to Alan’s car outside. Billy feels like he’s travelled back in time to the day he came back from Isla Sorna and all anybody could talk about was that he and Alan had seen dinosaurs and lived to tell the tale (twice, in Alan’s case). He hates this kind of attention, hates it even more that he used to be no different than these young, gaping students who are still full of wonder and ideals when it comes to the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. He’d left that childish awe behind on Isla Sorna.

“Just ignore them,” Alan suddenly says, giving Billy’s hand a quick, reassuring squeeze.

Billy’s grateful for the simple distraction and focuses on Alan’s concentrated look as he backs out of the parking space and drives them far away from prying eyes. “How are you holding up?” he asks quietly once they hit the freeway when the silence starts to become suffocating.

Alan briefly glances over at him, a frown on his face Billy wishes he could wipe away. “It’s my fourth rodeo, Billy. I’m just tired of seeing the same old thing again and again. I wish people would learn from this but I doubt it. Greed always wins, in the end.”

Billy can hear the resignation and exhaustion in his voice as plain as day. He wonders if he’ll sound just like Alan after witnessing his own fourth incident. He hopes he’ll never have to find out.

That evening, after watching the news on mute in horrified silence for hours, Billy falls asleep on Alan’s old familiar couch and wakes up gasping for air in the middle of the night with the phantom pain of claws and beaks digging sharply into his shoulders and water filling his lungs. Alan’s arms are around him in an instant and he whispers soothing words of no importance into Billy’s ear. For the first time in years Billy allows himself to feel the pain and trauma Isla Sorna left him with as he buries his head in Alan’s shoulder and cries – for himself, for Alan, for all the people who have lost their lives on these islands.

He just wants it all to stop.

He knows it never will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank all of you who've read this story and left me kudos or a comment! It makes me very happy that there are still some people out there who love Jurassic Park III and Alan and Billy especially and like what I'm writing. As you can see I've decided to continue to work on this story. Two more chapters will follow this one until it's complete (at least for now ... I'll probably write more once Jurassic World III is out *g*). 
> 
> A thing I forgot to add in the first chapter: if any of you are on tumblr and would like to chat about Jurassic Park / Jurassic World, Alan and Billy or just paleontology in general, please come and say hello! You can find me at ailendolin.tumblr.com


	3. September 2017

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: In this chapter suicidal thoughts, depression and guilt are discussed. There's nothing graphic but if these topics are triggering to you, you may want to skip this chapter.

**Chapter 3: September 2017**

They’re visiting Ellie and her family when the impending eruption of Mt. Sibo on Isla Nublar hits the news. Together, the three of them are preparing dinner while Charlie and Kathryn, 19 and 17 years old now respectively, are in the living room watching TV when suddenly, Charlie shouts, “Guys, you’ve got to see this!”

Ellie shares a look with both Alan and Billy before she shrugs. After placing down the cucumber she’s in the process of cutting she quickly dries her hands and heads to the living room. She’s back in a matter of seconds, a small frown on her face. “It’s Isla Nublar.”

Billy almost drops the knife he’s holding.

After the incident at Jurassic World news about Isla Nublar had been scarce. The death of Simon Masrani and several employees and visitors had been enough to deter anyone from rounding up the animals and rebuilding the park. Instead, the dinosaurs were allowed to roam wild and free without any humans around just like on Isla Sorna.

A part of Billy is glad they were left alone. That way, no one was messing around with things beyond their control. But the lack of supervision had consequences which Billy tries very hard not to think about. More than once dinosaurs had been sighted on the other islands over the last couple of years – even the mainland, in one case. The government of Costa Rica never failed to reassure the world that those dinosaurs were taken care of and didn’t present any danger, but Billy has his doubts about that. He’s seen how small, fast and agile the _Compsognathus_ on Isla Sorna were and he can’t imagine anyone finding one of them in the vastness of the jungle. He wouldn’t be surprised at all if one day someone would discover a population thriving beyond the natural borders of Isla Nublar and Isla Sorna.

Maybe today would be that day, he thinks warily.

“What is it this time?” he asks out loud as he follows Ellie into the living room, Alan right behind them.

Ellie silently points at the TV.

Billy’s never been to Isla Nublar but he recognizes Mt. Sibo at first sight. He frowns. “It’s active again.”

“That’s new,” Alan comments dryly.

They watch as a volcanologist talks about the increase of seismic and volcanic activity on the island, accompanied by aerial views of Mt. Sibo’s smoking summit. The scientist’s tone is urgent and Billy’s learned enough about volcanology as a student to know that such activity from a previously dormant volcano is not a good sign.

“What about the dinosaurs?” the interviewer asks. “Will they survive a possible eruption?”

The volcanologist shrugs. “It’s hard to say and depends on the severity of the eruption. We’re talking about an island here. There will be nowhere for them to run when the time comes. The flying ones might stand a chance, but the rest? Probably not.”

The news segment ends with archive footage of Jurassic World and Billy takes an involuntary step backwards when the aviary is shown.

“Easy,” Alan murmurs into his ear and places a warm, grounding hand on his lower back.

“Thanks,” Billy whispers, taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart as Ellie shuts off the TV.

“Pterosaurs are not dinosaurs,” Kathryn mutters, glaring at the black screen as if the volcanologist has personally offended her. Ellie smiles at her fondly.

“What will happen to the dinosaurs?” Charlie asks. He’s looking at Alan and Billy as if they hold all the answers or have any say in the matter. “They’re going to save them before Mt. Sibo erupts, aren’t they?”

Now Kathryn is looking at them as well with her large blue eyes full of expectation and Billy glances helplessly at Alan, hoping he has some answers for Ellie’s kids because Billy sure as hell doesn’t.

“Who are ‘they’?” Alan asks with a kind smile. “Our government? The government of Costa Rica? InGen or whatever that company calls itself today? I don’t think either of them has any interest in saving those animals.”

Charlie and Kathryn open their mouths to protest and Alan silences them by simply holding up his hand. Billy doesn’t think he’ll ever stop being amazed by Alan’s ability to silence a room. “It might feel heartless but you have to realize that both Jurassic Park and Jurassic World as well as Isla Sorna have cost a lot of people a lot of money over the years, and I’m not just talking about acquiring the islands and building and maintaining the parks and research facilities. The lawsuits alone must have cost a fortune. Who in their right mind would invest even more money in those animals when all they do is cause trouble?”

“But that’s not their fault,” Charlie says angrily. “They just follow their instincts.”

Alan smiles at him. “I agree. But that doesn’t change the fact that relocating them would be an extremely time-consuming, dangerous and expensive venture. I’m not saying it’s right to leave them to their fate, but it’s the easiest way to get rid of a problem no one knows how to deal with.”

“That’s not fair,” Kathryn murmurs. “They may not be real dinosaurs but we’ve created them. That means they’re our responsibility, that we have to take care of them, right?”

She’s looking desperately up at them and Billy wishes he could say something to comfort her but he can’t, not when a part of him wants nothing more than to see both islands destroyed and the animals on them gone for good.

Luckily, Ellie doesn’t share his dark thoughts. She sits down next to her daughter and puts an arm around her. “The world would be a better place if more people thought like you, sweetheart. No matter what those creatures are – they are living, breathing things that feel and shouldn’t be left to die.”

Not for the first time Billy admires Ellie for having made her peace with her experience at Jurassic Park. Her words make him feel guilty and selfish for wanting the dinosaurs dead. He wishes he could be more like her, more like Alan, but it’s been so long since Isla Sorna that he fears he’ll never be able to put the past behind him, not like they have.

“Can’t Dad do something about it?” Kathryn asks in a pleading voice.

Ellie huffs out a laugh and shakes her head. “No, sweetheart. Your dad can do a lot of things but that’s a little bit above his pay grade, I’m afraid. I’m sure someone else will step up to the task, though. There are a lot of animal rights groups who have been lobbying against Jurassic World for years. Maybe they’ll come up with a way to save the dinosaurs before it’s too late.”

Kathryn seems to be satisfied if not exactly happy with that answer but Billy can’t help the anxiety churning in his stomach at the thought of someone relocating the dinosaurs, possibly to the mainland if the other volcanoes in the Muertes archipelago turn out to be in danger of becoming active again as well. The urge to run away from all of this is stronger than ever and he hates himself for it.

* * *

Later that night, when it’s just him and Alan in their shared room upstairs, Alan brings up the topic again.

“You were awfully quiet earlier when the kids asked all those questions about saving the dinosaurs.”

Billy shrugs and busies himself with pulling the blanket a little higher.  “I didn’t know what to say and you and Ellie seemed to handle it pretty well.”

“I’ve never known you not to have an opinion on something, Billy,” Alan points out quietly. He turns onto his side to look at Billy and Billy barely resists the urge to squirm under the scrutiny of Alan’s knowing gaze. “It’s not that you didn’t know what to say but that you knew it would upset Charlie and Kathryn, isn’t it?”

Billy sighs and closes his eyes. “Why do you even ask when you already know the answer?”

“Because I think we should talk about it,” Alan says quietly. “We should have talked about this a long time ago and coming from me that’s saying something.” He pauses. “Do you really wish that volcano would kill the dinosaurs?”

“Yes,” Billy says, finally facing Alan. He swallows hard when he sees the way Alan looks at him – surprised, and a little bit disappointed. Ashamed, he amends, “No. I don’t know, Alan. I just … I want this all to be over. Just for one day I want to not worry about any of this.”

He wipes a tired hand across his face and freezes when he feels Alan’s fingers close around his own. Gently, as if he’s something precious, Alan pulls his hand away from his face and down until it rests against the blanket.

“Even if the volcanic eruption destroys the whole of Isla Nublar Isla Sorna will still exist,” Alan points out in a soft voice. “It won’t stop your nightmares or make your trauma go away, Billy, and I think you know that.”

Billy bites his lip. Of course he knows he won’t magically be better again if Isla Nublar gets obliterated. Life’s never that easy. “It would be one less thing to worry about, at least,” he still mumbles half-heartedly.

“I know,” Alan says. There’s something in his voice that makes Billy look up and search his gaze. Alan’s gotten so good at dealing with his own experiences on both islands that Billy sometimes forgets that his nightmares aren’t any less real or vicious than Billy’s even if they are less frequent nowadays.

“How do you do it?” Billy whispers. “Every time those islands are on the news I feel like I’m about to fall apart but you’re always so calm and collected. I’ve always envied that.”

Alan smiles at him but there’s no happiness in it. “Nothing to envy there, Billy. We both know I just drown myself in work,” he says. “I think it might be a bit easier for me because I can still feel safe in my home, or in the field. I don’t keep an eye out at all times for sharp claws and teeth. As terrified as I am by the prospect of a _Velociraptor_ making it to the mainland I know that it’s highly unlikely given their size and the distance. We both know the case is different for flying animals like _Pteranodon_. You know your fears are at least a little bit justified and that makes it next to impossible to shake them off.” He squeezes Billy’s hand. “That’s the difference between you and me: my nightmares can’t fly.“

“But it’s been over a decade,” Billy whispers, hating that he can’t keep the tears of frustration out of his voice. “Nothing’s happened in all that time so logically I should be able to let that go.”

“Logically,” Alan says, “dinosaurs shouldn’t exist, yet here we are.”

“Logically, they’re not even real dinosaurs,” Billy murmurs.

Alan huffs out a quiet laugh. “Point taken.” His eyes soften. “There’s another difference between us, you know? I’ve never been hurt by the raptors. In my nightmares all I do is run and I hear them calling and shrieking behind me and it’s absolutely terrifying, but that’s where it ends. It’s all about fear, not about pain. You, on the other hand … you know what it feels like to be at the mercy of those creatures. You remember how that felt. That makes your fears a lot more substantial than mine.”

Unconsciously, Billy raises the hand Alan isn’t holding to rub at the scar tissue on his shoulder. Alan’s eyes follow the gesture and Billy blushes when he realizes what he’s doing. “It’s never going to stop, is it?” he asks, knowing he sounds defeated.

“From my experience?” Alan asks. Billy nods. “No, it’s not going to stop. But it gets a little better, especially when you have people around you who understand – which you have.”

Billy smiles faintly, hoping Alan knows how grateful he is for his support. “I know. I just feel so ridiculous that a simple mention of the islands on the news can throw me like that. You and Ellie … you’ve barely blinked when you saw Isla Nublar earlier. The moment I saw the aviary my blood ran cold and I felt like I couldn’t breathe and I never even set foot on that damned island.”

“Don’t,” Alan says gently. “You don’t have to feel ridiculous or ashamed or whatever else is going through that stubborn head of yours. You’re not alone, Billy. I promise you that. We all react differently to what we experience. Just look at Ellie. The last time we went on a dig together she was a mess – the complete opposite of the Ellie you have gotten to know. Jurassic Park haunted her so much she couldn’t continue her work. And she used to be so passionate about it.” He pauses, and Billy can see the pain Ellie’s departure caused him clearly in his eyes. “When we came back from Isla Sorna I feared the same thing would happen to you,” Alan admits quietly. “But you stayed, you came back to work and you never left. So what if there’s a little setback every now and then? I think after what you’ve been through you’re entitled to that.”

“I sometimes feel like I’m having more setbacks than anything else,” Billy murmurs.

Alan’s thumb gently strokes the back of his hand. “You’ve also been through more than most people who escape those islands with their lives have,” he reminds him. “Most don’t make it home.”

Billy nods somberly because it’s true. You either get away with a couple of scrapes and bruises or you get eaten. That he made it out of there, on his own and badly injured, is still something he can’t quite grasp. He doesn’t remember much after the claws, beaks and drowning except for the sight of Alan’s hat in the river and the desperate need to hold onto it for as long as he could. He’s still convinced that hat saved his life. It gave him a purpose, a reason to fight and not let go at a time when he’d thought he didn’t have anything left to live for. He wouldn’t have made it without it, Billy’s sure of it. He’s glad Alan’s kept it even after all these years.

“Do you regret it?” Alan asks quietly with a seriousness that gives Billy pause.

“What do you mean?” he asks.

“Making it home. Staying. Do you regret it?”

Billy’s heart misses a beat before he shakes his head. “No. Not anymore.”

Alan’s eyes widen a fraction. “Not anymore? But you used to?” he asks, sounding stricken.

“Yeah,” Billy confirms, looking away in shame.

They’ve never talked about this, even though Isla Sorna brought them closer together than they’d been before the island. Billy’s always kept his darkest thoughts to himself – not just because he was ashamed of even thinking about giving up but also because he didn’t want to bother or worry Alan. God knows he’d had enough on his plate at the time. But if anyone deserves to know the truth it’s the man who stood by his side when everyone left and tried his hardest to be the best friend Billy could have ever hoped for. Like Alan said: it’s about time they talk about this.

“After we came back from Isla Sorna I … struggled,” Billy begins to explain in a shaky voice. “Not just with my injuries and nightmares – you know about those.” Alan nods. “I had a hard time coming to terms with what happened between us. I was so sure you would never forgive me for stealing the eggs and putting us all in danger. But then I woke up from surgery and the first thing you said to me was that you were sorry. I thought I was still dreaming. It seemed too good to be true, you know?” Billy sighs. “For weeks I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. When you refused to leave my side at the hospital I told myself you were just waiting until I was better again. Then you took me home and helped me get back on my feet and each day I thought, ‘Today he’ll tell me to pack up my things and leave.’ But you never did.”

“You must have been very confused when I offered you the job as my teaching assistant,” Alan muses.

Billy huffs out a laugh. “You have no idea. It took me a long time to believe that you really wanted me at your side. There were days when I could almost convince myself you were just sticking around because you felt guilty or obligated to help me, not because you truly cared about me. I felt like … a burden, I guess, especially in the beginning when I couldn’t move around a lot and needed so much help. Sometimes, on the really bad days, I wondered why I kept doing this to both of us.”

“Oh Billy,” Alan whispers. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

Billy shrugs helplessly. “I was scared of losing you, of causing you even more trouble than I already was.” Alan squeezes his hand and Billy can feel small tremors against his skin. “And I was ashamed because those thoughts … that’s not me, Alan. I barely recognized myself, and that scared me.”

“What changed?” Alan asks in a quiet voice.

“You probably don’t remember,” Billy says, “but there was that one night when you were on the phone with Ellie. I didn’t mean to but I accidentally overheard part of your conversation. You told her that you thought you weren’t helping me enough, that _you_ were not enough, and you sounded so defeated. You said you had no idea what to do anymore and suddenly it hit me that you were scared of losing me. You have no idea what a shock that was.” Billy bites his lip. “I barely got any sleep that night because I couldn’t get your words out of my head. I mentally went over the last few weeks and – god, you were trying to help me so much and I hadn’t been able to see any of it because I was wallowing in self-pity and didn’t want to get hurt again. That night I realized something had to change – I had to change.”

“So you figured you’d start by making me breakfast the next morning?” Alan asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Billy smiles. Of course Alan would remember that day. “It was about time I showed you how much I appreciated your help.”

“Your smile would have been more than enough,” Alan murmurs.

Billy bites his lips, trying not to let on how much Alan’s words make his heart ache. “It was your first day back at the office. I figured breakfast was more useful.”

Alan’s eyes crinkle around the corners. “And it was much appreciated.”

“You came home with that huge box of papers and forms and exams in your arms that evening, grumbling and muttering under your breath about the incompetence of the staff and the students,” Billy remembers fondly. “You looked quite pitiful.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed my misery,” Alan says dryly.

Billy rolls his eyes. “I know what you tried to do that day, Alan, why you brought all that work home with you and I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you for that.”

“There’s no need,” Alan says, his smile softening into something precious. “I know you, Billy. You’re not one to sit around idle for long. I knew being cooped up in my house with no company and nothing to do would be hell for you, so I thought grading papers would at least keep your mind busy. Best idea I’ve ever had,” he adds with a wink. “We got a lot of publications out of your recovery process, not to mention your dissertation.”

Billy laughs. “That’s true.” He takes a breath and allows his thumb to graze along the back of Alan’s hand. “I don’t know what I would have done without you, Alan. I don’t think I would be here today if it weren’t for you – but I’m glad I am. I don’t regret coming home and I certainly don’t regret staying with you. I haven’t for a long time, not even on the bad days.”

“Good,” Alan says. “Home wouldn’t be the same without you, Billy.”

For a moment Billy forgets how to breathe as warmth spreads through him and leaves a tingling, comforting sensation in its wake. He smiles at Alan, and Alan smiles back.

That night, it’s enough to keep the monsters at bay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I would like to thank everyone who's reading this story and leaving kudos and comments from the bottom of my heart! I'm sorry this update took a while but I'm currently preparing for a job interview which keeps me busy. But the good news is I'm already working on chapter 4 though I expect it's going to take a few weeks (again, sorry) until it's ready for upload.


	4. November 2018

**Chapter 4: November 2018  
**

“Alan?” Billy asks through a mouthful of toothpaste. “Are you awake? If not you better hurry because I’ve got to go to the speaker’s ready room to hand in my talk before the first session starts in case you’ve forgotten.”

There’s no reply and Billy frowns. It’s half past six in the morning and they have to be at breakfast at seven at the latest if they want to be at the first talk of the day at eight and hand in Billy’s presentation before that. It’s not like Alan to sleep in, but then again it had been pretty late when they’d finally made it back to their room at the conference hotel after the welcome reception last night. The event had been lovely. The museum it was held in was incredible and much to Alan’s embarrassment Billy had dragged him along to try out every interactive feature he could find. He’d had a great time and they’d both managed to catch up with colleagues from all over the world they hadn’t seen in a year. It’s why Billy loves going to conferences.

“Alan?” he asks again. There’s no reply but if Billy listens closely he can make out the quiet sounds of the TV beyond the bathroom door. He rinses his mouth, dries his hands and goes to find out what has caught Alan’s attention this early in the morning. A moment later he wishes he’d stayed in the bathroom. “Oh god,” he whispers.

Alan’s eyes flick up to meet his and in the span of a heartbeat he mutes the sound and is at Billy’s side to place a reassuring and grounding hand on his arm. “I just wanted to catch up on the news until you finished your shower,” he apologizes quietly.

Billy’s gaze is locked onto the screen. There are no terrifying images of people running for their lives from _Pteranodon_ this time, but the words ‘Dinosaur breakout at Lockwood Manor’ make him shudder just the same. “What happened?” he asks because he has to know.

“They’re not sure yet,” Alan says. “From what I gathered some rich guy named Lockwood rescued some dinosaurs from Isla Nublar yesterday before the volcano erupted and they somehow managed to break loose. What a surprise,” he adds grimly.

“Isla Nublar’s gone?” Billy asks faintly, not sure whether he feels happy about it or not now that Mt. Sibo’s actually blown up. He dimly wonders why they’re only hearing about it now.

Alan shrugs. “I have no idea. They only briefly mentioned the eruption, nothing else. Apparently, nobody cares about that when dinosaurs are running around on American soil.”

American soil.

The realization that his worst nightmares have just become reality finally sinks in. Dread spreads through Billy like a lahar, fast and deadly. He swallows, hard, past the lump of panic in his throat. “Where is Lockwood Manor located?” he asks, his voice shaking. When Alan looks away the color drains from Billy’s face. “Alan, where?”

“Northern California,” Alan whispers. “Not too far from here.”

“Oh god,” Billy whispers again. His head snaps towards the window so fast he feels dizzy. He’s only distantly aware that Alan’s putting his arm around him to guide him towards the bed so he can sit down.

“Billy?” Alan asks, and over the roaring in his ears Billy realizes that he sounds concerned. “Hey, look at me, alright?” Billy does even though having his back turned towards the window makes him uncomfortable and uneasy. He’s never been able to ignore Alan. “If you want we can leave right now – pack our bags, get to the airport and be as far away from here as possible.”

There was a time Billy wanted nothing more than that. For years the urge to run away from everything that happened and could happen again had been his constant companion and his first reaction is to say _Yes, please, Alan, take me somewhere safe._ But beneath the crippling fear and helplessness he feels every time the islands intrude on his life is something else: resigned acceptance. For the first time since Isla Sorna it hits Billy how futile running away truly is. There are dinosaurs in California. It’s only a matter of time until they cross the borders into Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming – Montana. Home is no longer safe. Even if he fled as far as to the other side of the Earth Billy is sure Jurassic Park would catch up with him one way or another. It always does.

The knowledge that there is no running away from any of this – there never had been – settles heavily in his stomach. For a moment he feels completely numb and helpless, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. But Billy is no deer, he is not prey. He survived Isla Sorna and has the scars and nightmares to show for it. He is not helpless – on the contrary, he is one of only a few people who have been chased and hunted and _won_. He’s alive and he’s scared and his heart is racing a mile a minute and no matter what he does those islands will never release their grip on him, and to finally accept that feels liberating. He’s not okay but he doesn’t have to be. He just has to accept the hand he’s been dealt and suddenly, after all these years, it seems so easy. He won’t allow those so-called dinosaurs to rule his life any longer. He’s finally done with running, no matter how much that terrifies him.

So Billy gives Alan a weak smile and shakes his head. “I’ve got to give a talk in,” he checks his watch, “four hours and we’ve still got three days of conference left, including the award banquet and the auction. I’m not leaving until I get my hands on one of those paleo Barbies they auction off.”

Alan’s lips don’t even twitch at the old Barbie joke and a thought strikes Billy. “Unless you want to go?” he asks.

Alan regards him thoughtfully for a moment with a frown. “You’re taking this better than I thought you would.”

Billy takes a deep breath. “It doesn’t really matter where we run, does it?” he asks quietly. “You once told me it’s never going to stop and this,” he points towards the muted TV, “is the ultimate example of why it won’t. I know I’ll spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder and having nightmares. That’s not going to change. But I think it’s time I stop running away from the past and learn to live with it – like you and Ellie have.”

“Choosing fight over flight, hm?” Alan gives him a small smile and reaches out to hold his hand gently. “You’ve come a long way since Isla Sorna, Billy.”

Billy feels his face heating up at the praise. “What about you?” he asks. “I meant it, Alan. If you want to go, we go.”

Alan shakes his head. “No, it’s alright,” he says. “Let’s wait till we know more before we decide what to do – though I don’t particularly look forward to being the center of attention once again.”

Billy gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll manage – we always do, don’t we?”

He doesn’t know whether he’s only talking about their colleagues or the breakout as well, but there’s a knowing look in Alan’s eyes that tells Billy he understands even if Billy doesn’t.

“Of course we will.”

* * *

Their day doesn’t get better. They barely have any time for breakfast before they have to head downstairs to hand in Billy’s presentation. The look the technician gives him is one of barely veiled curiosity and pity that both Billy and Alan try to ignore. It gets harder once they walk towards the room where the dinosaur talk session is held in. People openly stare at them or whisper in hushed noises. Billy feels like he has the plague from the way their colleagues keep pointing at him and Alan.

It’s even worse when he has to give his talk after the coffee break. It’s not the first time he presented his work at a conference but it’s the first time the room is so packed people are sitting on the floor and standing in the back. He feels confident of his work but he’ll be the first to admit it’s not so exciting and groundbreaking as to warrant this much attention. Afterwards, when it’s time for questions (and Billy had really hoped he’d speak slowly enough to use up the whole fifteen minutes he has so they’d have to forego the questions) more hands go up than Billy has ever seen at a conference talk before. He swallows hard and searches for Alan in the room, finally understanding how he feels every time he has to try to acquire more funding.

“Let me make one thing clear,” Billy says into the microphone, “I will not be answering any questions regarding Jurassic Park, the islands or the incident at Lockwood Manor that’s all over the news today. I know you are curious. I get that because a few years ago I was just like you. But today I’m here to present my study – actual scientific results on actual dinosaurs that should be far more interesting to you than genetically engineered creatures. You are paleontologists, after all, aren’t you?”

A tense and uncomfortable silence fills the room. Hands are slowly lowered.

Billy smiles. “Thank you for coming to my talk. Have a good day.”

With that he leaves the stage and joins Alan in a row at the back of the room for the next presentation. Alan looks at him quietly for a moment before he clasps his shoulder tightly and says, “Well done, Billy. Well done.”

It’s been a long time since Billy felt proud of himself. He grins at Alan. “They had it coming.”

Alan nods. “Oh, there’s no doubt about that.”

* * *

Despite it all the day doesn’t get easier. Not everyone got Billy’s message and more than once people openly stare at him and Alan. Some even have the nerve to come up to them and ask all kinds of questions (like that memorable time Billy was cornered in the bathroom, of all places). A year ago all this unwanted attention and reminders of Jurassic Park would have at best thrown him and at worst resulted in a panic attack followed by nights waking up shaking and afraid.

Now it’s merely annoying. Billy feels pestered by it and there are times when he really has to resist the urge to flip them off, but for the first time since Isla Sorna his heart doesn’t try to leap out of his chest when people ask him about it. There are no flashbacks that take him back to beaks and claws and the fear of drowning. He feels like he’s finally able to put his experiences in a box – not gone or forgotten, but kept at a safe distance from his soul instead of the forefront of his mind.

It doesn’t stop him from searching the skies that evening when he and Alan walk back to their hotel after dinner, though. Old habits die hard and now there’s an actual reason to be afraid. Billy knows he will never stop being scared of being attacked again, but now at least that fear is manageable. A look up doesn’t make him break out in sweat anymore even though the danger is now closer than it ever was before. Instead of phantom wings he sees the first stars twinkle into existence.

“They’re beautiful,” he murmurs.

Alan follows his gaze and smiles quietly. “They always have been.”

Once they’re back in their hotel room Billy turns on the news channel. “You sure you want to watch this?” Alan asks, still concerned and looking out for Billy.

Billy nods. “We need to know what’s out there.” He pauses, amends, “I need to know what’s out there.”

New information has come to light since they watched the news that morning. There’s talk about an auction which makes both Alan and Billy shudder, especially when they hear about the rumors of a new hybrid.

“They just can’t help themselves, can they?” Billy murmurs. “As if the _Indominus rex_ wasn’t disastrous enough.”

There’s not much beyond that – no list of dinosaurs that have been rescued and subsequently sold or escaped from Lockwood Manor. But, and here Billy sits up straight, the Dinosaur Protection Group is mentioned in being involved in the rescue operation.

“I know them!” Billy exclaims.

Alan turns towards him. “How?”

“Remember when Ellie’s children asked all those questions about saving the dinosaurs?” Alan nods. “I looked into that when we got home. There were several groups raising public awareness for the dinosaurs’ plight. The DPG was the most vocal of them. It’s headed by Claire Dearing.”

“ _The_ Claire Dearing?” Alan asks. “Jurassic World’s operational manager?”

Billy nods. “The exact same. She turned a whole new leaf after the park was shut down. I’ve actually been in contact with her.”

Alan raises an eyebrow at him. “You have? Why?”

“I guess … I wanted to be up to date on anything to do with Isla Nublar. If anyone would be able to mount a rescue mission it would be Claire and the DPG. I didn’t want to be blind-sided by it.”

“Well, that didn’t really work out, hm?” Alan asks wryly.

Billy huffs out a laugh. “No. The last time I spoke to her she told me it didn’t look good. Mt. Sibo’s activity was spiking and they were still lacking funding and a suitable location for the dinosaurs. That was two weeks ago. I wonder what happened after that.”

“Do you have her number?” Alan asks. When Billy stares at him he adds with a shrug, “You could just call her.”

“That,” Billy begins, reaching for his phone, “is actually a brilliant idea! Why didn’t I think of this?”

Alan snorts. “It would have occurred to you sooner or later, I’m sure.”

Billy grins at him and hits dial. The phone goes straight to voice mail. He doesn’t let his disappointment show when he says, “Hey Claire, it’s me, Billy. Listen, I’ve heard about what happened on the news. They said the DPG helped get some dinosaurs off Isla Nublar and I just … I hope you’re okay. Please call me as soon as you can, alright? And stay safe.”

“Think she’ll call you back?” Alan asks.

Billy shrugs, staring at the dark screen of his phone. “I don’t know. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“You think she’s involved in those auctions?” Alan asks, gesturing the TV where images of Lockwood Manor flicker across the screen.

“No,” Billy says resolutely with a shake of his head. “Claire’s the last person who’d want to exploit the dinosaurs like this, not after Jurassic World. She wanted to see them safe, not in the hands of rich, scrupulous men.”

“Then why did she help relocate them?” Alan asks.

Billy wipes a tired hand across his eyes. “Maybe she was tricked? I don’t know, Alan. There’s probably a lot more going on than we know. There always is.”

Alan nods. “True enough.” He smiles at Billy that crooked smile that never fails to make Billy feel safe. “How about we try to get some sleep? It’s been a long day.”

“It really has,” Billy agrees. “And tomorrow will probably be even longer.”

Quietly, they go through their evening routine and get ready for bed. The moment Billy’s head hits the pillow he feels some of the tension in his shoulders bleed out. He’s about to fall asleep when the bed dips and Alan’s hand reaches for his beneath the blanket and squeezes gently.

“Think you’ll be okay tonight?” Alan whispers into the darkness.

Billy shrugs. “Who knows? Think you’ll be?”

Alan’s thumb gently strokes over the back of Billy’s hand. “As long as I know you’re safe.”

Billy smiles. “I think we’ll be just fine. We always are.”

“Goodnight, Billy.”

* * *

That night, there are dinosaurs in his dreams. He watches from on high as they move in herds beneath him over grassy planes that didn’t exist when they first roamed the Earth. Billy knows they’re not real, they’re hybrids, all of them – but he also knows they’re beautiful. They take his breath away, a childhood’s dream come true, and the only thing even more wonderful is the way Alan’s eyes light up when he sees them.

_There is beauty in this world_ , Billy thinks, completely unafraid, _even in the most dangerous places_.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here it is, the end (until Jurassic World 3 comes out, at least). I would like to thank all of you for reading, leaving kudos and commenting! I had a lot of fun writing this story, though I'm not completely happy with the way this last chapter turned out. It's the reason why it took so long to upload it: I tried to rewrite and edit it several times over the last few weeks but it stubbornly refused to be how I imagined it XD I hope you enjoy it anyway. 
> 
> One last note: everything about the conference comes from my own experiences. Conferences are always so much fun and there are indeed paleontology Barbies auctioned off each year and everyone wants to have one. So, if you ever get the chance to go, don't forget your money ;-)


End file.
